Illinois Republican Party

The Illinois Republican Party is a conservative political party in the US state of Illinois, founded on 29 May 1856; the party is affiliated with the larger US Republican Party. The party was founded as a liberal party, and it controlled Illinois politics from Abraham Lincoln's election as President in 1860 until the New Deal era began in 1932. From 1932 to 1994, the US Democratic Party began to grow in the state, with Adlai Stevenson being a major Democratic leader. By the 1990s, the growing conservatism of the Republicans alienated many northeastern and Midwestern voters, and the Democrats gained power in the state. Since 1982, the Republicans have been a minority in the State House of Representatives, but they established themselves as a competitive party in the 21st century. In 2016, the party held 20/59 State Senate seats, 47/118 State House of Representatives seats, 3/6 statewide offices, 1/2 US Senate seats, and 8/18 US House of Representatives seats.